Communal Discernment

Ignatian Communal Discernment

A basic premise of St. Ignatius of Loyola is that God deals directly with each person. One consequence is that, when people gather with the good-willed intention of making a significant decision in common, they will achieve optimum results through personal prayer and reflection that is combined with careful listening to one another. This process of communal discernment involves all participants in a manner that is usually much more satisfying than that of discussions and conversations.

The theology of discernment in general holds that the Holy Spirit readily speaks within a group of people who listen to their own hearts and to others who are open with one another. This trust is a way to approach, as best we can, how the Spirit might communicate to a group. Although it is not a requirement that all participants accept this belief, if all members agree to accept the decisions made based on the process, Ignatian Communal Discernment is an eminently reasonable way of proceeding.

Essential Elements for Sessions of Communal Discernment

• The proposition to be discerned needs to be clear to all participants.
• All need to agree to the specific process, as to whether there will ultimately be a vote with a majority being sufficient, or unanimity, and whether the decision is their responsibility to enact or is advisory to someone with final responsibility.
• In speaking, each one shares whatever has moved or stirred within them after prayer and reflection, not the statement of their opinions or ideas.
• While someone speaks, all will listen and notice what happens within themselves in response to what they hear. There are to be no responses, comments, questions or crosstalk.
• Confidentiality is essential, providing freedom for speaking one’s truth. Therefore, electronic devices are turned off and notes are not taken.

Typically, discernment in common is conducted in sessions of about an hour or an hour and a half, with the number of sessions depending upon the breadth or relative significance of the matter to be discerned. Each session has in common the basic format of at least two rounds of listening sessions, which are preceded by a time of silent reflection and prayer. In the first round, each member relates briefly and succinctly their best judgment and principal motivating factor for their tentative decision about the matter to be determined. After each member has listened carefully to the others and has noted the movements inside their hearts and minds elicited by what they heard, the second time of silent reflection and prayer is the occasion to reevaluate their initial decision. In the second round of sharing each shares their present best judgement of what they have found to most resonate with them.

When several such sessions are necessary, the time allotted between them allows for further consideration, information gathering, or careful refining of the issue to be decided.